And yes, I know it is the most expensive real estate on the planet, but I like the way that I am treated and looked after when I fly up there.

It really is the little things that make the big differences.

I have friends who say they can’t see the value of paying extra to fly Business Class, or First Class, because, as they say, the back of the plane arrives at the destination at exactly the same time as the front of the plane.

And I see their point.

I’m writing this blog now as I wing my way across the USA from San Francisco to Chicago.

And I know when you read this blog I’ll be in the middle of a few games of golf at the World-Famous Pinehurst Golf Resort in North Carolina.

But this trip has so far just emphasised my belief that, if you can, it’s better to travel at the front of the plane.

I was impressed with my Qantas flight across the Pacific and with the attention I received at all times from my cabin crew, but what really impressed me was the courteous way that the Head Steward made a point of coming around at the end of the journey and thanking each and every customer personally for travelling with Qantas.

Now I’m not sure that he did that for every one of the 400+ passengers on the flight, but I know that he did so to all those who travelled in my business class cabin.

It’s a nice touch.

And it takes very little time and costs nothing to do.

And it only goes to prove that it is indeed the little things that make the big differences.

Because other airlines don’t do this.

Other airlines that I’ve used simply shuffle you off and shuffle you on.

When I arrived at Sydney airport for this trip there were queues as far as the eye could see of people waiting to check in.

But for Qantas passengers with loyalty, there is a “fast lane” to avoid those queues, or at least reduce them.

There’s also an express entrance to Customs and Immigration at Sydney airport when leaving Sydney, for those whose tickets qualify.

And, there was a Priority Line at San Francisco airport when passing through security there for those who qualify.

Not having to wait and wait and wait in line is a big, big bonus, I feel. I don’t know about you, but who likes waiting in line these days? The less wait time the better….

When you fly priority it allows you access to certain lounges at the airports where you can relax and sometimes dine in comfort before embarking on your journey, as opposed to simply having to wait at the gate.

When you fly priority you find that your luggage appears on the carousel earlier when you arrive at your final destination.

So what’s my point?

My point is not to boast.

My point here is to simply say that in any market there will always be a certain percentage of the population who are more than happy to take the “premium” option as opposed to the regular ordinary option.

And that applies in dentistry.

If you can offer your patients a “premium” experience compared to the regular ordinary common garden variety vanilla experience that all of the other dental offices in your area are offering, then there will be a percentage of the population who will seek out your services because they feel that your Dental Practice is going to be where they feel that they would prefer to belong.

And those patients who choose that option will be happy to pay extra for that service.

How do I know?

Because I did it.

I built a high grossing, high fee dental office in a very average part of Sydney, where people lived in average sized homes and earned average wages…..

And I’m just your average dentist…

But, I was able to charge considerably more for my fillings and for my crowns than what my competitors were charging.

Because I provided my customers with an experience…..

A good friend of mine used to say,

“There are no pockets on shrouds and no roof racks on hearses”.

You can’t take it with you when you go.

And there is a significant proportion of the population out there who are more than happy to pay a premium price for better service and attention.

Are those people worth finding?

Is it worthwhile trying to be the dentist for those people?

What you will find is that those people will be the percentage of your dental practice who are less stressful to deal with and are, as Pareto said, part of the twenty percent of your practice who provide eighty percent of your income.

It’s a nice part of the world to do business in….

And all it takes is a tiny little bit of effort on a consistent and regular basis.